How do we combat food waste?

One of the easiest ways to reduce food waste is meal planning. By planning out what you are going to eat it makes it easier to only buy what you need with the added benefit of saving money.  

Keep an inventory of the ingredients you have so you can track what you do and don't need when you go grocery shopping. 

Educate yourself on the proper storage of the foods you keep in your kitchen. 

• Some fruits and vegetables produce ethylene gas, which causes rapid ripening of the produce around them, and should be stored separately. 
• Many of the vegetables that people keep refrigerated are actually meant to be kept at room temperature. 

Food storage has been essential to the survival of the human race and thanks to this there are many ways of doing so. Instead of throwing foods away consider using these methods to extend their shelf life. This is also great for having seasonal foods out of season. 

• Canning
• Freeze Drying
• Dehydrating 

When organic matter is composted correctly it produces Co2 instead of CH4 (methane). This is beneficial because CO2 is a less effective greenhouse gas than methane. Compost also has the added benefit of being able to store carbon in soil rather than releasing it into the atmosphere. 

Many of the plants we eat can be regrown from their scraps. Garlic, celery, and lettuce can be regrown from the base of their stock. Onions, garlic, and beets can be regrown from the bulb. Seeds from tomatoes, peppers, citruses, and the pits of avocados can be salvaged and planted.